Improvement in deiees



gleiten gisten lidstaat @affirm ineen n. JOHNSON, 'or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AssicNon To mMsELr, rnonis n. JoHNsoN, AND BnNJAMiN r. JonNsoN- Levers Patent No. 75,277, ma March io, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN DRIEItS.'`

vTO ALL WHQM IT MAY CONCERN:

' Be it known that I, JESSE B. JOHNSON, of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drying-Kilns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, A clear, and exact 'description thereof, reference being had to thc accompanying drawing, making part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to the construction of the furnace for heatingdrying-kilns, and consists in making the top of the furnace of Cobble-stones or boulders, supported on iron bars above the fireplace, and piledin `suchmanner that the interstices between the stones -at the bottom are covered loosely by those-above, so asl to allow the heatedainand products of combustion to ascend freely among'thenu and escape into the drying-chamber, whereby the whole heat of the fuel is'utilizedl for the purpose of drying lumber or other articles.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the centre ofthe kiln and furnace. l

Figure 2 is a transverse section` throughthe kiln and furnace.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The following description will enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention.

The fireplace A is built of bricks in the usual manner. are-'iron bars placed at the proper height above the hearth or grate, and close enough together to supportthe stones C, which constitute the top of the furnace., The stones C are'piledon the bars B to the depth of several inches, which may be varied according to the purpose for which the furnace is intended. For drying lumber, the depthI of the stones should be about twelve inches, more or less. The stones are arranged as shown in the drawing, the largest being at the bottom, and coveringthe whole area of the furnace. On these, stones a size smaller are placed, so' as to cover, as far as practicable, the interstices between those below, and thus built up as shown. The stones built up in 4this mam ner will prevent the escape of flame or sparks into the'drying-chamber, but will allow the hot products of coun bustion to ascend through them into it.A Y y, v

No chimney is required'to this furnace. vThe ire,'when rst kindled, will smoke until the boulders C become heated,lafter which there will'` be suicient draught to cause thelire to burn y,.brislily, and as it is abun=` dantly supplied through the furnace-door with air, which is quickly raised tothe combining temperature by the hot walls and boulders, the gasesv are thoroughly consumedl From thence, combined with the heated air that enters the'furnace through the fuel-door, the products Ao f combustion lslowly7 ascend through the interstices of the boulders into the dry-inglchamber in a condition to rapidly dry the lumber or other articles therein.

AA furnace for temporary purpose may be'constructed to operate in a similar manner by simply digging a l trench in the ground, of suitable dimensions, over which iron bars, large stones, or other suitable supports are laid, on lwhich the boulders are piled in the same manner as here shown.

E are creed-timbers, on'which to lay the lumber, D are dcilecting-plates, suspended from theunde'r side of the cross-timbers E,'or they may be hung in any convenient manner above the furrnace, aud are used to deflect the heated air and products of combustionto either side .or up the middle of the kiln, as maybe required, as when thevkiln isfonly partly filled with lumber, or when part'of the dry lumber has been removed and green lumber put in its stead, or when a portion of the lumber is thicker than the rest. F are ventilators in the side walls ofthe kiln, nearthe roof, by which to regulate the escape of the heated air. They also 'a'ectfaud may be used to regulate the draught of the furnace. l I

I also contemplate using this furnace vfor drying frutand other analogous purposes,l in which case a chirna ney or flue may-be attached, t'obe used only forbarrying oil the smoke on lirst-kindling the fire, or for exciting a more rapid combustion when the re is burned toolow to alford Shih-cient heatto consume the smoke, after which the chimneylue is to be closed by a suitable damper. A

A marked advantage of this furnace for drying lumber consistsin using the products o f combustion, commingled with the heated air that enters the furnace direct, whereby the whole heat evolved from the fuel is util` ized, and consequently a great saving is eil'ect'ed, as no heat is lost by being carried oi by a chimney.

The mass of boulders will retain a large amount of heat after the re has gone down, which will be given.

oi gradually, and thus the warmth' of the kiln will be kept up during the night without the trouble or risk of keeping up the re, and loss of time in iringup in the morning avoided. l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, sv I 1. Making the top of the furnace of drying-kilns of Cobble-stonesor boulders, ox" their equivalents, arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The deecting-plntes D, in combination with the furna'ce, constructed as described, substantially ls and fory the purpose set forth.

JESSE B. JOHNSON.

Witnesses: i

O. E. MAYHEW, WM. H. WEEKS. 

